VISIT OF REV. S. J. HOBAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15748, 13 February 1922, Page 8

VISIT OF REV. S. J. HOBAN.

YESTERDAY’S SERVICES

The Rev. S. J. lioban,, superintendent of the Melbourne Central Mission, who is at present visiting Gisborne, spoke at; Bright Street Methodist Church yesterday ancf again at Everybody’s Theatre last evening. (/ At the.morning service the Rev. S. J. Hoban sopko on the words “Whosoever shall compel thee to go a. mile, go with him twain” Matt. 5-41). He said Christ was here expounding a great principle of life. He was teaching that tho highest life was not the life of self interest with its ease and comfort that was the first mile, but the life of self-sacrifice that was the second mile. Further, that the noblest service was not the service of arbitrary compulsion that was the first mile, but the free, willing, uncalculating service of love that was the second milo. . Christ made all virtue to consist in going the second mile. He denounced a conventional and colorless virtue, the spirit of which was to go just as far as it is compelled by public opinion to go and no further. , Christ laughtKa doctrine, not of moderation but of 'excess. He insisted! not, on the average, -but on the extra. He said! to the religious people of His day “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall m no wise enter into tho Kingdom of Heaven.” By this it was obvious He taught that our virtues must go bevond tiie common, natural, average level of morals. What, lie asked, have the moderates done for the world? Where would liberty have been if no patriot «ti " eardecl the tyranny of despots: 1 ? Wilde would knowledge have been if no scholar had braved the ignorant- furv of the mob? Where would sainthood have been if no martyr had dared the lion, .and the fire? The second mile would have given the world its grandest characters, and its greatest reforms Bv tho second mile Christ taught that the highest principle of life was love expressed in self-sacrifice. The supremo test of love was in the length to which it will go. The application of the doctrine of Hie second milo would' solve all our economic problems. What a difference it would make in the worker, and the character of his work if his service were cheerful, conscientious, uncalculntiiig? Ihe man who works for his wanes ,r ocs the first- mile; the man who works* for Ins master goes the second mile. This obligation was equally binding on the employer. Ih6 payment of an agreed wage does not always! discharge the obligations of mastership. There was ho \ irtuei in paying the wage compelled bv law—that was only the first mile. Sharing the profits is the second mile. Wlint, a change the application of this doctrine would work in our social life. The ''us-that in every relationship of file the highest in character and service was reached, only bv the way of the second mile.

At the afternoon service Mr Hoban spoke on the world s unrest from tho text: ’ Let not your heart he troubled, ve believe m God, believe also in Me (St. iij l - t. ’’ "^ U: evening service was held, m Everybody’s Theatre, inert* being a large attendance. The text was chosen from St. Luke, 12.21. “Rich toward God in conclusion the visitor referred to the- pleasure of his first, visit to this beautiful little town of Gisborne.” To-night, at the Methodist Church, Mr Hoban will deliver an address upon ‘‘The 1 at-bos and Humor of City Mission Work,” referring particularly to the city missions of Sydney and’Melbourne.